BUILDTank / buildCAST

Emily Mottram often describes herself as a “little Nerdy” and as an architect that expresses itself in a focus on people and planet, through high performance design of residential buildings. Emily helped to define high performance construction, as one of the authors of the “Pretty Good House” book which states that the goal is a well thought-out, carefully crafted home, designed to maximize performance and comfort within a budget. Performance incorporates metrics like R-values and ACH50 numbers but is more about setting and achieving a goal for the performance of the house which in turn, is more about how it feels: comfort, safety, livability, beauty, healthy, efficient, and the team, science of building, and economics that are brought together to achieve the goal. Emily Mottram on LinkedIn Mottram Architecture Emily’s Energy + Efficiency + Emily or E3 Podcast The Pretty Good House website

Dr. Robert Tino Sonora 10 Minutes on the Economics affecting the building industry

Dr. Ian Giammanco is the Managing Director for Standards & Data Analytics and a Lead Research Meteorologist at the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety Center. He has been instrumental in the creation of IBHS’s Thunderstorm Ready Home program which was created in the wake of severe weather events. In 2023 alone 20 states were impacted by 19 severe convective storm events, each causing over $1 billion in damage.   Building from the Fortified Homes, Fortified, Roof, and Wildfire Prepared homes programs the voluntary Thunderstorm Ready Home program is another example of the results of applied research and inspection that IBHS is doing to impacting the built environment in positive ways. Dr. Ian Giammanco on LinkedIn   About Dr. Ian Giammanco   IBHS Thunderstorm Ready Homes Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) IBHS Research video BUILDcast #16 – 2022 Fred Malik and the Fortified Construction Program BUILDcast #20-2022 Dan Gorham and the new IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Program

The ability to take a deep dive into construction topics is never greater than at IBS. Because of the electrification of our home’s movement, my work in the Marshall Fire rebuild and the huge incentives that are now available to those electrify their homes, I chose to dive into heat pump water heating. Yes, they are more efficient at heating hot water, but several questions still needed to be answered. Are they loud, how much do they lower the ambient room temperature, what’s their recovery efficiency, can you use a recirculation loop, why is the contracting community still dragging their heals, and are they more difficult to install and maintain, where just a few? I was able to speak with American Standard, AO Smith, Rannie, did you know they now are offering a heat pump water heater, and Rheem whose conversation will be released on a buildCAST FOCUSED episode.  I was also able to speak with Master Plumber Eric Aune after one of his IBS trade floor in booth talks.  All in all, I think I was interesting to hear the relative consistency of answers from the different manufacturers of water heating heat pumps and to feel a little more grounded in my ability to recommend their installation. American Standard Heat Pump Water Heaters AO Smith Heat Pump Water Heaters Rinnai Heat Pump Water Heaters Eric Aune Aune Plumbing and Heating Mechanical Hub Make Trades Great Again Podcast

Haven IAQ I could not find a link to a Canadian 380 Ventilation Standard but I found this Ventilation and the indoor environment

Devon Tilly is a visionary who sought me out to partner on a deep dive series on his Art of Construction podcast. He speaks often about platforms and master facilitators, and it took me quite some time to better understand that he is a big thinker whose objective is to bring the construction community together. Platforms can be companies, networking groups, like BS and Beer Metro Denver that I started, or other such organizations that are the catalyst that bring people together to effect change and move an industry forward. Master facilitators are those individuals that help lead the way to creating dynamic synergistic outcomes when people are brought together around a common interest. There are four parts to this deep dive series, but only edited versions of episodes 3 and 4 are included here, largely Because episode 1 is an interview of me and episode 2 is about a larger commercial efficiency program.  Episodes 3 and 4 give us a better understanding of Devon and his goal of building a master facilitator community as well as discussing some interesting building science around windows and heat pumps.   Links to Full unedited versions of each podcast can be found in the show notes Loosely Devon’s Art of Construction deep dive series revolved around BS and Beer Metro Denver. But in reality, BS and Beer is only a platform that brings together lifelong learners who turn out to be the master facilitators affecting change in the construction industry.  I see now the journey that Devon took me on as cohost on these podcast and am thankful that I had the opportunity to take it with him. Devon Tilly on LinkedIn Mountain View Windows The Art of Construction Deep Dive Series Episode 1: Foundations in Building Science Deep Dive Series Episode 2: Energize Denver Deep Dive Series Episode 3: LIVE BS + Beer Q&A Deep Dive Series Episode 4: Building science in action, with heat pumps

Navien Hydro

Section 45L Tax Credits for Zero Energy Ready Homes Federal Tax Credits for Builders of Energy Efficient Homes Homeowner Tax Credits

I reached out to Dr. Robert "Tino" Sonora, clinical professor of finance and adjunct professor of economics at the University of Montana and one of my oldest friends, because I had just listened to a “Planet Critical” podcast that posed the question, in countries that print their own currency, can we make the electrification transition faster. The premise of this question uses Modern Monetary Theory, which I cannot claim to understand, but in my simplistic mind I learned that we may want to question the politic argument that our federal government must balance the budget and that our $34 trillion dollar debt is a problem.   The simplistic analogy that equates the federal economic budget to a family’s budget and debt is bogus.  Having a balanced family budget and little debt is important but on a nation state scale, and especially in a country that prints its own currency, it is not crucial. Look at the fact that the United States has carried a debt since 1775 in order to pay for the American Revolution. So this lesson in economics may just create more questions than it answers but I am so thankful to Tino for expanding our understanding of one aspect of the transition from a fossil fuel based economy to a renewable based economy. Robert Sonora at University of Montana Robert Sonora on LinkedIn Planet Critical – “What We Get Wrong About Money , with Steven Hail”

Pat Heulman says he is a retired professor from the University of Minnesota, but in reality, in retirement, he has stayed on as an adjunct professor.  Lucky for the University students and others in the industry, like me and you, he is still sharing his vast knowledge. He teaches residential energy and building systems, as well as advanced building science courses. He is a cofounder of the Cold Climate Housing Program and has been an active building science researcher and has participated in many DOE Building America funded research projects. I have met Pat several times over the years, followed his research, and was very excited to have the opportunity to speak with him on the buildCAST.  He has so much to share that we are already planning on a second conversation, so if you have a topic that you think I should cover with Pat please let me know and I will try to bring it up in our future conversation. Pat Huelman on LinkedIn University of Minnesota Cold Climate Housing Program Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering Northern STAR Building America Partnership Building America  DOE Solar Decathlon Foundation insulation effectiveness Project over coat

Ken Levenson is the Executive Director of the Passive House Network. He graduated from Pratt Institute in Architecture and practiced architecture for 20 years in New York City where he discovered Passive House and became a Certified Passive House Designer. He was a founding board member of New York Passive House, the National Passive House Alliance, and the Passive House Network, all nonprofits dedicated to promoting Passive House principles through education. After briefly stepping away from the Passive House Network Ken returned to PHN as its first Executive Director, focused on Passive House education and building capacity to move passive house buildings forward in the US.  As you will hear, he was also a co-founder of 475 High Performance Building Supply, a mission driven building material supply house that provides passive house building knowledge and essential building materials and components to the community.  I think passion and mission driven are the two phrases that best describe Ken’s career, so much so, that he consciously got arrested to put action behind his values. You’ll hear more about that as well, so since I know you are going to enjoy it, let’s get started. Ken Levenson on LinkedIn Passive House Network 475 High Performance Building Supply Passive House Institute PHIUS or Passive House Institute US

The Building America Solution Center grew out of the Department of Energy’s Building America Program. A Program that has been a source of innovations in residential building energy efficiency and performance for over 25 years. The Building America Program leverages cutting-edge building science research to develop the solutions and best practices needed to advance energy efficiency in the homes we are building today. The Solution Center is the platform the Department of Energy is using to disseminate and provide access to the expert information on hundreds of high-performance construction topics, including applied building science, air sealing and insulation, HVAC, windows, indoor air quality, and much more. Recently the Solution Center added the Building Science Advisor which is a no-cost, web-based tool that provides expert guidance on the moisture durability and energy efficiency of new and retrofit wall assembly designs. The Building Science Advisor helps teach building science principles and can inform residential building designers, builders, engineers, and students of building science, on how to specify energy-efficient, moisture-durable wall systems, with a simple, intuitive user-interface. The tool leverages expert knowledge and a database of thousands of pre-simulated hygrothermal models to provide rapid feedback and expert guidance on wall assembly design, tailored to your specific climate zone. If you use this simple modeling tool you can fail fast and move forward quickly while limiting risk exposure and increasing cost effective design. It was a pleasure speaking with the national lab team of experts that help bring this tool forward for our collective use and who guided me through their carrier pathway as well as us through the Building Solution Center and specifically the Building Science Advisor tool. Building America Solution Center Building Science Advisor Oak Ridge National Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Washington State University

Bill Spohn is the President and CEO of TruTech Tools and much more. He is an entrepreneur who is willing to listen, learn, and cooperate with an eye towards bettering the world in small and large ways and in any way he can. He is involved in so many interesting thinks that we jumped straight into questions, followed up with a discussion about what he calls his capstone project, a Net Zero Energy modular home that he and his wife built. This is yet another fascinating conversation that I hope you will enjoy.  Thanks for listening. Bill Spohn on LinkedIn Tru Tech Tools Spohn Home RESTalk a Podcast for the RESNET Ecosystem hosted by Bill Spohn Building HVAC Science Podcast Hosted by Bill Spohn

A Scope of Loss Report is the insurance industry term for an estimate of the rebuilding cost of a lost house due to a severe event like fire, hurricane, or tornado. It does not reflect the cost of the house that will be rebuilt. It reflects rebuilding the specific house that was lost, exactly as it was, to the current building codes. The goal of which is so that the insurance industry knows what to payout based on the policy that was purchased. BW Builder was created in the aftermath of the Tubbs wildfire in 2017. Matt Everson and his partner Bill Wallace saw that insurance companies counted on the fact that disaster victims couldn't find a good way to report their losses and collect the insurance they deserved. Insurance companies also don’t define how these losses must be reported, yet they rely on the disaster victim to report the loss themselves.   Regardless of being underinsured a policy holder is due the full amount of their policy, not 70 or 80% of the policy value, which is on average what is being paid out. So, BW Builders began creating accurate scope of loss reports for property owners who must demonstrate the value of their loss. These estimates are incredibly detailed, down to the number of nails used, and are not created in the typical way that a builder prices building a house, yet builders are in the unique position of having accurate knowledge of the cost of construction in their specific market.  Through technical innovations and a desire to help, not further harm, Matt and Bill provide estimates at a fraction of the cost of the typical private insurance adjuster. They are now getting the word out on how to do this work. They are actively recruiting other builders to use the systems they developed to help disaster victims recoup what they deserve from the insurance industry to rebuild their communities. Matt Everson on LinkedIn BW Builders Article - Santa Rosa firm helps wildfire victims navigate battles with insurance companies. Article - Colorado Division of Insurance releases underinsurance estimates for Marshall Fire homeowners United Policyholders

Steve Baczek is a nationally recognized architect, who has been designing and developing custom residential structures for over 28 years. After architecture school he had the opportunity to work with Joe Lstiburek and Betsy Pettit at Building Science Corporation. But since then, he has really honed his unique perspective, knowledge, and ability to be a bridge between architecture and sound building science. As he continues to design, he also, now more than ever, dedicates a large portion of his time giving back to the industry. He is educating builders, trade professionals, and fellow architects through consistent Instagram and LinkedIn post, segments on the Build Show network, and as one of the hosts of the Unbuild it Podcast among other venues. It was a pleasure to speak with Steve and learn more about his view on the direction of architecture and our industry. Steve on LinkedIn Steve on Instagram @stevenbaczekarchitect UnBuild It Podcast

Amy Bach, Executive director of United Policy Holders and Lisa Hughes Marshall Fire Survivor and Marshall Fire Local Liaison for United Policy Holders are my guests on this buildCAST.  We discuss the impact of fire specifically, but natural disaster and the destruction of home, its impacts on people and the insurance nightmare that they face. United Policy Holders has stepped into this space to advocate for survivors of natural disaster events, and specifically help them navigate the insurance maze one must trek through to recovery and become whole again.   We need to be prepared, and plan ahead as it appears not to be if another natural disaster will hit, but when. In this light I think everyone should hear what Amy and Lisa have to say. Amy Bach on LinkedIn Lisa Hughes on LinkedIn United Policy Holders Wildfire Prepared Homes Wildfire Partners Boulder County

Dr. Diana Fisler is an experienced building materials scientist turned Entrepreneur who is Interested in the interface between early building technology innovation and corporations that bring these technologies to market. She’s running her own research in this space as the CEO of EcoSnap, a technology she is bringing to market that speeds up and lowers the cost of the installation of mini split heat pump systems.  Dr. Fisler is an entrepreneur in residence at ADL ventures and actively part of the team at the Advanced Building Construction Collaborative. Both groups are looking at how to bring meaningful change and innovation to the construction industry. Diana Fisler on LinkedIn ADL Ventures EcoSnap ABC/Advanced Building Construction Collaborative RMI UpCodes 

Alpen High-Performance Products is an American window and door manufacturer that designs and builds some of the most energy efficient window and door products in North America and the world.  Alpen’s core products draw on a 30 plus year history of industry leadership in advanced, high-performance window and glass manufacturing.  They are an innovative company that has partnered with the Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and others to be a leader in bringing new technologies to market.   Craig Maierhofer Vice President of Business Development at Alpen, our guest in this episode of the buildCAST, has not only a solid business background but also complete knowledge about the science and windows Aplen builds and sells.  He was a wealth of information and I think you will really enjoy our conversation. Craig Maierhofer on LinkedIn Alpen High-Performance Products Alpen WinSert® windows National Fenestration Rating Council Energy Performance Ratings for Windows, Doors, and Skylights  

If you’re not talking about it, if you’re not Marketing it, and most importantly if you’re not helping the consumer connect with it on an emotional level or a level where they can clearly understand the benefit to them, then you’re simply giving it giving it away. Pamela Brookstein manages the Value for High Performing Homes program at Elevate, a nonprofit organization dedicated to designing and implementing efficiency programs that lower costs, protect the environment, and ensure the benefits of clean energy, reach those who need them most. In her role, she works to ensure the value of high-performing homes is visible and understandable in the real estate transaction.  Pamela leads Elevate’s research into the best ways to engage real estate professionals and homebuyers on the topic of high-performance homes. She works to define the messages that these groups need to hear to prioritize clean and efficient upgrades when looking for or upgrading a home.  Most of Pamela’s work is in the existing homes arena, however, all her work can and should be applied to new homes as well, so we can truly express the value of high-performance homes and not give it away. Please enjoy learning more about Pamela and the work that she does to help take sustainable building to mainstream building. ElevateElevate Value for High Performing Homes Green Appraisal Addendum buildCAST #9-2022 Sandra Adomatis and the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum

Karen Benner is a GREEN Realtor and founder of Clayton Avenue Consulting. She brings her 20 years of experience and a large builder perspective and discipline to her new Offsite Dirt show called “Building Better with Karen.   Offsite Dirt is a media and an event company that showcases all the current news, techniques, technology, influencers, and conversations in offsite construction and is hosting “better building with Karen”, on their website, and You Tube channel.   Karen is using her platform to bring awareness to people and organizations that are making a positive impact on the built environment, and I was lucky to have a conversation with Karen about rebuilding after the Marshall Fire in Boulder County Colorado and how substantial building program incentives are impacting the rebuild.  Karen on LinkedIn Karen On Instagram Offsite Dirt Marshall Fires Destruction to Rebuilding with Incentives